Utah State Route 24

Utah-24 was established in 1910, an off-shoot of Utah-11 (which
would become US-89), and connected several towns (mostly Mormon settlements),
such as Torrey, Fruita and Hanksville. In 1935, Utah-24 was extended from
Hanksville to Utah-8, which would eventually become I-70. It was one of
the only roads that crossed the Waterpocket Fold while detouring around
the San Rafael Swell. (See the I-70
portion of the Utah page for more information on I-70 and the Swell.)

Today, the Eastern end of the road is Exit 149 on I-70, about
10 miles West of Green River. The Western end is near Sigurd, Utah,
Exit 48 on I-70. (Utah-24 actually ends 10 miles past I-70 at
US-50, probably its original destination before I-70 was built.)

I have only been on I-24 from the Eastern end to Torrey, Utah,
where Utah-12 starts, one of my picks as the best roads to drive
in America.

Utah-24 - I-70 to Goblin Valley State Park

Just so you know, there might not be any services on I-70, but there
are services down Utah-12 & 24. They've been there a lot longer than I-70,
and it's usually easier to exist when there's a continuously flowing river
next to your town.

But that doesn't describe Utah-24 between I-70 and Hanksville.
It's a flat area in the desert between the almost impassible
San Rafael Swell, and the almost impassible wilderness West of
the Colorado River. The road is almost arrow straight for
35 miles, and while it's obvious that at one time the end
angled more toward Green River, it now angles toward I-70.

As a personal note, the third photo below (taken in 1997) got me $50 and
a Top Ten Car and Driver hoodie sweatshirt as one of the top 10 straight
roads. The wider panoramic below that is from 2008, and (I believe) the
same spot, at the crest of a small rise in the road.
Back to Top

Goblin Valley State Park is a very unusual place that
has thousands of relatively small stone monuments that the guy who discovered the
place called "Goblins". I thought they looked more like mushrooms.
Jo thought they look more like... poops.

It's only a few miles off of US-24 from I-70, on the way to
Capitol Reef and Torrey, the start
of Utah-12. It's worth the stop. Just be aware you might
be in the very definition of "Middle of nowhere".

Utah-24 - Goblin Valley State Park to Capital Reef National Park

Prairie Dog Rock. (You can't make this stuff up. Well, yeah you can, but
I didn't.)

Utah-24 to Hanksville is still a flat, straight desert road, with
a couple of pulloffs to view some rock formations (like Prairie Dog Rock)
and to put names on some of the mesas and other geologic formations in
the distance.

Once the road reaches Hanksville, it turns to the West and starts to
follow the Freemont River Valley through the Waterpocket Fold. The
Freemont was a big enough river to erode its way through the Fold as the land
was thrust upward 60 million years ago, and is a natural passage
through the geologic barrier.
(See Capital Reef National Park for more
information on the Waterpocket Fold.)

Of course, just because you're next to a flowing river doesn't
mean you still aren't in a desert, it just means you'll have an
easier time travelling through the terrain because the river
eroded the landscape flat. But outside the river valley, the
landscape is a magnificent confusion of rock that's been pushed, bent,
cracked, and thrust out of the ground hundreds of feet into
the air.

Utah-24, Goblin Valley State Park to Capital Reef National ParkBack to Top

Utah-24 - Capital Reef National Park

Utah-24 goes right through Capitol Reef National Park, and is actually a
major part of the park and its sites (and sights). The road crosses
through the Waterpocket Fold and then follows the "Reef" past the Visitors Center
all the way to Torrey. Along the way is access to the river, several historical sites
such as Fruita and its orchard and schoolhouse, access to slickrock and scenic sights
such as the Goosenecks of Sulphur Creek. :-) It's a gorgeous drive.

Capital Reef National Park protects the Waterpocket Fold,
the edge of a geologic up thrust long since eroded away over the last 60 million
years. Give or take a few million.

The first time I was at the park, the Scenic Drive
was washed out due to some flash flooding, so the sights along Utah-24 were
the only ones accessible. When I was there in 2008, I had some
magnificent weather, a much better planned trip, and spent the entire
afternoon in this park.

Torrey, Utah (Best Western)

The Best Western in Torrey (at least in 2008), was one of those hotels
that had two types of ratings on travel sites. The mediocre to bad reviews,
and really good reviews. It once again boiled down to whether you booked
a new room (suites) or an older room.

I had booked a suite, and a very nice room it was. The door from the parking lot
opened up into the bedroom, with the bathroom beyond that, then a living room with sink,
fridge, microwave and a pretty darn good view out the back.

I liked the place, and you can't beat the location, right outside the
park. The attached restaurant was okay, but I might try one of the
other places in the area next time.

Related Links

Of course, the whole reason I was going to travel Utah-24 in the first place in 1997,
was because it was how you got to I-70 from Utah-12. And while I found Utah-24 a pretty
good drive, Utah-12 is one of the best.

Utah State Route 12 (also named as the
"Journey Through Time Byway") is my favorite road in America.

The 124 mile road starts at a unnamed junction with US-89 and ends in
Torrey, Utah, pretty much connecting Bryce Canyon to Capitol Reef
National Park. In-between are a couple of those spectacular Utah
State Parks, a National Monument and some jaw-dropping landscapes
just off the side of the road.